


Backstage: Into the Woods

by nyctophilia_wonderwall



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Inspired by Into the Woods, M/M, Theatre AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-02-28 18:14:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13277118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyctophilia_wonderwall/pseuds/nyctophilia_wonderwall
Summary: Ginny is nervous about her big role in her school’s musical, as well as her crush on Luna. Harry is scrambling to memorize lines as the men’s understudy, but Draco helps him out a bit. On opening night, everything seems to go wrong, but in the end it all really did go right,





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!! I’m super excited about this fic, because I’m currently doing the musical Into the Woods at my school. (I’m an evil stepsister in case you wondered.) If you’re not familiar with Into the Woods, it’s a collection of fairy tales that all wind together and then disaster strikes and everything goes downhill from there. Most of the charactaers die. But that doesn’t really matter for this fic, because most of the action will be happening behind the scenes when they aren’t actually doing the show. I hope you enjoy it, and I’ll try to add new chapters as often as I can.

Ginny spent the entire school day counting. In the morning she counted down the minutes until lunch, when she could see her friends. After lunch, she counted down until the end of the day—when she'd get to walk over to the school auditorium for musical practice.   
The posters with information about auditions had first gone up in the hallway two months ago. Ginny hadn't even been planning to audition, but her friends Hermione and Luna had talked her into it. Believe it or not, she'd gotten a role. A lead role. Cinderella, in fact. Luna had gotten the part of Little Red Riding Hood, while Hermione hadn't even auditioned, but instead decided to be the stage manager.  
There were three minutes left until the end of the day when Ginny packed up her bag. The very moment the bell rang, she was out the door. She met Luna in the hallway, and they began to walk the block to the auditorium. They could have gotten a ride easily. Hermione could drive and she already gave Lavender Brown a ride every day. Ginny's older brother Ron had gotten his license too, but he drove Harry, and Ginny used to like Harry. Besides, Luna preferred to walk even when the temperature was below zero.  
"We're starting dress rehearsals next week," Luna said. "I can’t wait. I'm just glad that my character doesn't have to kiss anyone."  
Ginny kicked up snow as she walked. "Lucky. I've got to kiss Draco. We haven't done it yet in practice, but I'm sure the director will make us in dress rehearsal."  
Luna laughed. "It's just acting, Ginny."  
The two girls arrived at the auditorium and entered through the stage door. Most of the actors and tech crew were already there. Hermione was bossing people about, while Ron was backing up everything she said. He played Rapunzel's Prince with Lavender as Rapunzel. Hermione wouldn't admit it, but watching from the wings as her boyfriend kissed another girl made her wildly jealous.   
Draco was standing near the props table with Harry, reciting lines. Ginny tried not to pay them much attention; the boy she'd spent years wishing to kiss, and the boy she'd now be forced to. Dean was helping his boyfriend Seamus paint some prop pieces. Dean played the Baker, but Seamus was on tech crew.   
A few minutes later, rehearsal started. Ginny blushed through the whole scene where she was supposed to kiss Draco. The director promised them they wouldn't have to do the kiss until the first dress rehearsal, but the thought was there, making the scene awkward. Ginny's favorite part of the show wasn't even when she was onstage. It was watching Luna skip around on the stage singing.   
Ginny felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Hermione.   
"Hey, Hermione," she said.  
"You like her, don't you?" Hermione asked, gesturing out on stage where Luna was pretending to draw up plans in imaginary dirt on the stage floor.  
“Yeah,” Ginny admitted. “I like her a lot. But there’s no way she likes me. Hasn’t she had a crush on Neville for years?”  
Hermione shrugged. “I know she liked him in middle school, but I don’t think she does anymore. Just tell her how you feel.”  
“Maybe,” Ginny said. “But I’m on now anyway.” Then she walked on stage and slipped into the character of Cinderella, a princess with a prince who didn’t have to worry about how much she liked Luna Lovegood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry (the understudy for everyone) practices lines with Draco and wishes it were a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Can you believe I’m here adding another chapter so soon? I should probably work on my other fic because I haven’t added to it for a few months. Oops. It’s just so much harder to write than this one. If you want to read it though, it’s an AU where the golden trio is all sorted into Slytherin. I’m going to TRY to add chapters to that more often, but don’t hold me to it. I should finish THIS fic within a month or two, though, so enjoy!

Harry had been more than a little upset when he didn’t get a real speaking role in the musical. He hadn’t cared what part he got, as long as it was a good one. But now he was stuck being the understudy to all the parts. If someone got sick on a show night, Harry would have to fill in for them. If nobody got sick, Harry was stuck with a chorus part although it was his junior year and third musical.  
He watched from the wings with Hermione while the other actors practiced, mouthing the lines of every character along with them. He studied their voice inflection, their songs, their facial expressions, and their actions. He was sure he had the entire show memorized. But having it memorized as someone else said it was completely different than having to do the part himself.  
“Got all my lines memorized, Potter?” Draco asked as he sauntered off the stage.  
“I think so,” Harry said. “But don’t get sick. I don’t want to do it.”  
Draco faked a cough. “It looks like I’m coming down with something.”  
“Don’t you dare!” Harry said.   
“No promises,” Draco said. “I’ve got to go back onstage.” He turned and walked back onstage to sing.  
Harry turned to Hermione to talk about the joking with Draco, but she was busy telling the tech crew people how to paint things. Instead he just watched in admiration as Draco sang with Ron about the princesses they were chasing.  
It was no secret that Harry had been hardcore crushing on Draco for the past year and a half. In fact, Draco was probably one of the few people in the whole school who didn’t know about it.   
Hermione joined Harry in the wings again with a clipboard.   
“When are you on?” she asked him.  
“Once we get to the act one finale,” a Harry said. “The finales are pretty much the only thing the chorus people do.”  
“Maybe someone will get sick and you’ll get to do their part,” Hermione suggested.  
“I hope not,” Harry said. “I don’t know any of the parts well enough to actually do them.”  
“Practice with everyone individually,” Hermione said. “Maybe it would help to talk to everyone about all the details of their part. And then you have an excuse to hang out with Draco one-on-one.”  
“I guess so,” Harry said. “I’ll talk to him after practice.”  
After running through the whole show and getting notes from the director, everyone was finally free to leave. Draco stayed to talk with the director for a moment, so Harry decided to go backstage to ask other people about their parts. He found Ron zipping up his coat by the props table, talking to Hermione.  
“Hey, Ron,” Harry said. “Can I run some lines with you? You know, in case you get sick and I have to do it for you.”  
“I’m doing this whether or not I’m sick,” Ron said. “The only thing that could stop me is if I died.”  
“Okay,” Harry said. He saw Draco coming around the curtain. “I’m going to go talk to him. See you later, guys.”   
“Later, Harry,” Ron said.  
“Hey, Draco,” Harry said as he walked over. “Could I run some lives with you?”  
“Sure,” Draco said. “Do you want to stay here? Or we could, I don’t know, go get some food. If you want.”  
“Yeah,” Harry said, then realized he hadn’t answered the question. “We could go to McDonalds. Or something.”  
“Sounds good,” Draco said. “I’ll meet you there in like ten minutes.”  
“Okay. See you in a bit.”  
Harry started his car as he walked out the back door of the auditorium. Then he got in and began to drive to McDonalds, which was only a few blocks away. He tried to calm his nerves, but his hands shook as he drove. He was going out to eat with Draco Malloy. Sure, it was just to McDonalds. And yeah, it was just because Harry had asked to practice lines. But if Harry really used his imagination, he could almost pretend it was a date. He knew it was probably the closest he’d ever get to a real date with Draco.  
When Harry walked into McDonalds, Draco was already there ordering his food. Harry got in line and ordered chicken nuggets and a pop, then he and Draco went and sat down in a booth.  
“Let’s just start from the top,” Draco said. “Just my scenes right now?”  
“Yeah. Hermione thought it would be a good idea to go through lines with everyone individually.”  
“It is a good idea,” Draco said. “Then again, so are most of Hermione’s ideas.”  
Harry mentally punched himself for bringing up Hermione at all. Draco had asked her out just a few months before she and Ron started dating. That was just another reason Harry was sure Draco would never like him.  
Draco and Harry ran through each scene Draco was in. They skipped the singing, and just talked through the action, but Harry got each line perfectly.  
“I think you’ve got it,” Draco said. “It’s a bit awkward when I have to kiss Ginny though. And Hannah. Kissing one girl for a show is weird enough, and here I have to kiss two.”  
“See, that’s why I’m glad I don’t have your part,” Harry laughed.   
“What if I get sick?”  
“I’ll kill you,” Harry said. “Or maybe just hit you, so you can recover and do the show the next night.”  
“What if I stay sick?” Draco teased.  
“For God’s sake, Draco, the show is four nights in a row, I sure hope you’re not sick for all of them.”  
“We’ll see. It is cold season.”  
“Shut up,” Harry said. “Let’s do the finale again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little note before I go, thank you so much for reading this! And if you bookmarked it or left kudos or anything, OH MY GOSH THANK YOUUUU. It seems crazy that people want to read my writing and actually enjoy it. I don’t know you but I love you. xoxo Nikki Wonder


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s dress rehearsal! Luna does Ginny’s makeup for her, which makes Ginny a bit flustered. Ron and Hermione make out in the wings, and Harry gets some relationship advice from Hermione.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I can’t believe you’re still reading this. I’m trying to make it more interesting and cute and I’m hoping to make the chapters a little bit longer. Anyway, enjoy!

Ginny hurried over the auditorium after school, excited because it was the day of the first dress rehearsal. The cast had an hour to get costumes on, do hair and makeup, get microphones, and set props before rehearsal started. Before going downstairs, Ginny made sure her props were set for the first act.  
She passed Draco on the stairs on her way down. He was coming upstairs, in his costume pants but still wearing his t-shirt from school.  
“You ready for today?” he asked.  
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Ginny replied. “I guess.” Then she went down to the girls dressing room. She kept her eyes away from the other girls as she changed, especially away from Luna who was all the way across the dressing room. She had no reason to be looking over there.  
Once she had her dress on, Ginny ran back upstairs to get her microphone. Neville helped her with it, and then Ginny sprinted back downstairs to get her hair and makeup done. Cho Chang pinned up Ginny’s hair for her, then moved on to helping Lavender with her wig.  
“Do you want me to do your makeup?” Luna asked sweetly.  
“Oh,” Ginny said. “Yeah. That would be nice.” She sat down on a plastic chair and turned her face towards Luna, who cupped her face in her cold, delicate hands.  
“Alright,” Luna said after a moment. She unzipped her makeup bag and got to work on Ginny’s face.  
Ginny was afraid she would giver her feelings away if she looked, so she kept her eyes closed the whole time. Luna brushed makeup across Ginny’s face, taking her time and gently blowing away the excess. She was scared she was blushing too much, breathing too hard.  
“Alright,” Luna said. “Open your eyes.”  
Ginny opened her eyes into a mirror Luna was holding in front of her face, which was covered in perfect stage makeup.  
“It’s wonderful, Luna,” Ginny said. “Thank you.”  
“Now let’s go do this thing,” Luna said.  
The two girls ran upstairs together and got ready to start.  
The first dress rehearsal ran smoothly. Ginny sang all her parts right and got every single line, and barely go distracted by Luna’s singing and skipping about. Well, if she was completely honest, she was a little distracted. Luna’s voice was just so beautiful and clear, and the way she glowed under the lights...  
Then there was the kiss with Draco, which was awkward, but she just pretended that she was kissing Luna.  
Harry stood offstage with Hermione, waiting for the large group scenes he got to be an extra in. Both were wildly jealous as the person they liked got to kiss someone else onstage. Ron, as Rapunzel’s Prince, had to kiss Lavender; Draco had to kiss Ginny.  
As soon as Ron came offstage after kissing Lavender, Hermione took off her headset and caught him in a kiss. Harry didn’t get to do that with Draco though.  
“You guys just need to make your ships happen,” Hermione told Harry. “Just ask Draco out for ice cream or something. It’s not too hard.”  
“Says you,” Harry retorted. “Ron asked you out so you can’t know.”  
“But I told him I liked him,” Hermione said.  
“Whatever,” Harry said. “Can’t you give relationship advice to someone else?”  
“I’ve been trying to,” Hermione said. The Witch came offstage and Hermione quickly helped her change her costume from the old witch to the young witch. In a flash, she was back onstage. “Ginny won’t tell Luna how she feels,” Hermione continued. “But I know for a fact that Luna likes her too. Hopefully they’ll be together soon.”  
“I wish you knew for a fact that Draco liked me,” Harry said. “That would make everything much easier.”  
“Well, Draco hasn’t told me that he likes you, but I can see that he does.”  
“What if you’re wrong?”  
Hermione flipper the page in her binder and looked back up to Harry. “Have I ever been wrong before?”  
Although he hated to admit it to her, Hermione was typically right about everything, even relationships. She could usually tell when someone liked someone else and actually gave good advice. The only relationship she hadn’t seen coming a mile away was her own; everyone knew that Ron had liked her since fifth grade—except Hermione herself. But in Harry’s experience, the relationship advice and insight he’d gotten from Hermione had been right. Maybe he should just listen to her and tell Draco how he felt.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s opening night! Draco is sick and Harry has to take his place, and Ginny admits her feelings for Luna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was planning this fic I was going to do eight chapters, and now I’ve reduced it to five. So, be warned, the next chapter will be the last one. Anyway, enjoy chapter four.

Ginny grabbed hands with Luna on her right and Hermione on her left in the big circle backstage.  
“This is it guys,” Hermione said. “You’re going to go out there and do great. You’ve all grown so much over the past few months and I’ve loved watching everyone learn this show. Hands in everyone.”  
Everyone dropped hands and reached into the middle of the circle.  
“Into the Woods, on three,” Hermione said. “One, two, three!”  
“INTO THE WOODS!”   
Everyone went around giving good luck hugs. Luna threw herself at Ginny and said, “good luck tonight.”  
“You too,” Ginny said. “We’re all going to do great.”  
Luna smiled and fiddled with her red cape. “I’m so nervous.”  
Ginny had a sudden, overwhelming desire to kiss Luna. She knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t. But then without even thinking about it, she did. She simply leaned in and pecked her on the lips. Then she opened her eyes, panicked, and ran.  
She hid in the wings until it was time to go onstage. How stupid was she? Why had she kissed her? Luna couldn’t like her. There was no chance of it. She was never going to be able to face Luna again. But she’d have to. She’d have to talk and sing with her on stage all night. Good God, Ginny was an idiot.   
~~~  
Backstage, Harry was preparing to watch from the wings with Hermione when Draco tapped him on the shoulder.  
“Hey Harry, I’m really not feeling good,” he said.  
“Are you alright?” Harry asked.  
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Draco said. “Can you do Prince Charming for me?”  
Harry stared blankly at Draco. “What?”  
“Please! You know it all perfectly.”  
“No, Draco, I’d mess up!”  
Draco took off his jacket. “Go downstairs and change into my costume. I’ll tell you what to do right before you go on for each scene.” He thrust the jacket into Harry’s arms and the two boys ran downstairs. Draco undressed in the dressing room, then Harry got changed and hooked up his mic. He got back upstairs just in time for his first scene.  
After that, the show ran smoothly. All the ‘dates’ with Draco to learn his part had paid off, and Harry never missed a line. Then came the finale of the first act, and Harry had to kiss Ginny right before the curtain closed.   
It was what he knew he should have wanted, but he just wanted to be kissing Draco.  
~~~  
Intermission was a nightmare for Ginny. She hung out by the prop table and prayed that Luna would stay downstairs in the dressing rooms for the full twenty minutes.  
It was five minutes until they’d have to go back on stage when Ginny felt a hand on her back. She spun around and found herself face to face with Luna. Crap.   
“Uh, hi,” Ginny said to the ground.  
“Ginny,” Luna said. “You kissed me. And now you’re avoiding me. What’s the matter?”  
Ginny sighed. “I like you, Luna,” she admitted. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry.”  
“That was my first kiss,” Luna said.  
“I’m sorry,” Ginny said again. “You deserved a much better first kiss than that.” Ginny’s own first kiss had been a random boy at a party when she was a freshman, and she wished it had been better.  
“It’s okay. I like you too actually,” Luna said.  
Ginny’s heart skipped a beat. “Really?”  
“Yeah,” Luna said. “So, I guess if you want to pretend that kiss didn’t happen my first kiss could still be better.”  
Luna liked her. She wanted to kiss her again. It was all okay. Ginny leaned in once more and kissed Luna, not just a peck this time. It was everything she’d wished and dreamed for, and Luna liked her Luna liked her Luna liked her.  
Then they went back on stage, and they finished the show better than they’d ever done it before. Harry did perfectly as the Prince, and Luna did perfectly as Little Red, and Ginny did her best at being Cinderella.   
When the curtain closed at the end of act two, everyone had to go line up in the lobby to greet the public and say “thank you” over and over again. Ginny didn’t mind though, because she was standing next to Luna, her brand new girlfriend. Everything was just perfect


	5. Closing Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s closing night of the musical, and Harry admits his feelings for Draco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I took so long to write this chapter...I just procrastinated a long time and got busy with like eighty other projects. But here it is now and I hope you like it.

Although performing in a larger role in the musical had been fun, Harry was perfectly content to spend the rest of the performances mostly just watching from the wings with Hermione. And, of course, pining after Draco.

Closing night came all to quickly. After spending three months preparing with the cast and crew, Harry would be sad to see the musical days end. The end of the musical also meant the end of spending lots of time with Draco. They didn’t have any classes together, and when the musical was over they’d be back to their own little groups at school. Harry with Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hermione; Draco with Vince, Greg, Blaise, and Pansy. 

“What am I gonna do ‘Mione?” Harry asked. 

“I’ve told you a million times just to tell him you like him,” Hermione said. “Ginny took my advice and look at her now! She’s dating Luna.” 

Harry shook his head, pushed up his glasses, and focused his attention back on the stage where Luna was singing. “If he doesn’t like me, though, I’ll never be able to face him again.”

Hermione slid off her stool and sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Harry. “When Ron and I started dating he was kind of hesitant at first. He just kept telling me that high schooo relationships never worked out and that he’d do something wrong and mess everything up. But after a few weeks he told me that he didn’t care anymore if we messed up or not, because it would be worth it to spend at least some time together. And he told me that it’s better to live a life of oh wells than a life of what ifs. And I think that’s good advice.”

”But—“ Harry started. 

“I can’t tell you how Draco will react,” Hermione said. “But would you rather get it over with and possibly have a bad outcome or spend forever wondering what could have been?”

Harry didn’t want to admit it, but he knew that Hermione was right. She always was. 

“If this goes badly you’re helping me dig my grave,” Harry told her. 

“Alright.”

———

The moment the curtain closed for intermission, Ginny grabbed Luna’s hand and dragged her offstage to the break room. She closed and locked the door, then kissed Luna the way a girl like her deserved to be kissed.

“Ginny,” Luna said after a few minutes of kissing. “I know we just started dating but we are taking things rather quickly so I think it might be okay but I’m not sure, but there’s something I want to tell you, I just don’t want to be too forward.”

”It’s okay, Luna,” Ginny said. She slid her hands from behind Luna’s neck, down her arms, to hold both of her hands. 

“I think I’m in love with you, Ginny,” Luna whispered. 

Ginny grabbed Luna’s face and kissed her hard. “I’m so in love with you, Luna.”

———

Harry stood by the prop table waiting for Draco to come get his fake sword before act two started. Sure enough, there he came around the corner walking like he owned the place, in those tight blue pants Harry wished Draco didn’t have to wear for the musical, they were too distracting. 

“Hey Harry,” Draco said as he picked up his sword and tucked it into the sheath on his belt. “I wasn’t expecting you to be over here.”

Harry shrugged. “I don’t have much to do.”

”I should have gotten sick again tonight,” Draco laughed. “You did a good job as me.”

”You’re doing better though,” Harry said. “It’s good you’re feeling better.”

”Yeah...” Draco said. “I mean...never mind.”

”No, what?” Harry asked. 

“It’s not important.”

”Well now I’m curious.”

Draco fiddled with his sword and avoided looking at Harry. “I wasn’t actually sick. I just wanted you to have a chance to perform.”

”WHAT?”

”Yeah.”

”Draco that’s not okay you needed to perform!”

Draco shrugged. “One out of four isn’t the end of the world.”

”Still!”

”Okay I’m sorry I lied about feeling sick, but you did a good job and I knew you would. Plus you got to kiss Ginny.”

”Why is that a plus?” Harry asked. 

“I thought you liked her?” Draco asked. 

Harry laughed. Him? Like Ginny? Harry thought it was at least a little more obvious that he was gay. “In middle school maybe,” he said. “But not now. Ginny’s gay and I’m super gay.”

”Bro same,” Draco said. “Everyone assumes Pansy and I are a thing but we’re definitely not. I play for the other team.”

”So... you’re gay too?”

Draco nodded. “Blaise gives me crap for it a lot so I don’t really talk about it.”

”That sucks,” Harry said. “So...”

Hermione came around the corner. “FIVE MINUTES!” she called to everyone, then dramatically winked at Harry. 

“You didn’t have to let me perform,” Harry said. 

“No seriously, it’s fine,” Draco said. “I liked seeing you perform. You did good.”

”But why did you do it? Didn’t you want to perform?”

Draco sighed. “Because I freaking like you, okay?”

Harry was speechless. 

“Crap,” Draco said. He turned to leave but Harry caught him by the arm. 

“I like you too, okay?”

”Okay,” Draco said. “I should probably get ready for Act Two.”

”Yeah,” Harry said. “But...are we...?”

”A thing?” Draco said. 

“Yeah?”

”Do you want me to make it official?” Draco asked. 

Harry nodded, suddenly aware of how violently he was blushing. 

Draco pulled out his sword and tapped both of Harry’s shoulders with it. “You have been knighted. I now pronounce you my boyfriend. Now I gotta go.”

Harry spent most of Act two laying on the ground by Hermione whispering to himself, “I have a boyfriend. Draco is my boyfriend. I’m dating Draco.”

Hermione just smiled down at him. “See, I was right!”

Harry giggled. _Giggled_. “Yeah. You were.”

———

For weeks after the show, the whole town would be talking about it. They praised the musical talent of the high schoolers, the wonderful acting, how well put together the show was. But no one told the story of the stage manager kissing her prince in the wings between his scenes; or how Cinderella had really fallen in love with Little Red; or how Prince Charming has his Knight waiting backstage after the show.

**Author's Note:**

> It lets you make these chapters reallyyyyyyy long. You get 500000 characters! At the end of this chapter I still had 496688 characters left to use. I could literally fit my entire fanfic in one chapter.  
> But I like short chapter so...  
> Bye.  
> xoxo Nikki Wonder <3


End file.
